Catch



Patented June 6, 1950 y, UNITED STATESl PA'rEN-'r OFFICE f Fred Johnson,Seattle Wash.

Application .Iuly13,'1948, Serial No. 38,420

Y This invention relates tco improvementsgindoor catches of thetype-monnted` in cpeningsin the doors near not openingv through their-eeedges of the. doorsand involvinga springpressed handle, meansl swingableto one,A side'tofrelease the hnokvof the catch means from the: keeperonY the'docr lambV or other structure. in'which the door is mounted; Theprimary object of the invention ist te pro videy an improved catchof'theabove indicated character which is' substantially simplified as tostructure and manner ofroperation, being cornposed cfa minimurnnumber ofparts which are simple, easily manufactured, and easily assembled, sothat4 the cost or production is rela. tively low.

Another important objectofi the invention yis the provision of a highlyemcient; and easily operated catch of the abovev indicated characterIwhich affords an unusually neat andnnobtrusiveappearance when installed.

Other important objects and advantageous fea-- tures'of the inventionwill' be apparent from the following description and accompanying drawfings, wherein for present purposes of illustration only, speci-ncembodiments ot the invention Vare Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 1of a modi-V ned form of catch.

Referring in detail to the drawings, and first to Figures 1 through 4thereof, the numeral t generally designates the free edge portion of adoor, shown in closed relation alongside and in line with a door jam-bor the like structure 1, the door being formed with a hole 8 located inspaced relation to the free edge 9. The jamb or the like 'I is providedon one side thereof with a keeper plate lll secured in place by suitablemeans such as a screw I I and overhanging the jamb edge I2, as indicatedat I3.

The catch mechanism comprises a circular nat outer or face plate I4having an inturned peripheral edge or rim I5 arranged toengage the doorsurface I6 and space the plate I4 outwardly therefrom, as shown inFigure 1, t0 accommodate 4 claims. (o1. 292-128)- themner plaie n. The.inner pme n isfsmauer in diameter to.v fit within the rim |15 and is se.cured in place within the. outer plate I4 by spot.4 welds |8101-othersuitablegmeans.

The face plate I4, asshown in Figures 1 and 3,' is formed on adiametrical line with anr outer` diametrically elongatedislot I9 havinga rounded outer edge 20, and theinner plate I-I is formed.; onv the samediametrical line; with an outer slot 2l opening through theedge of theinner plate and having an inner square-d edge 22'l located between theends of the face plate slot If9.

TheY inner plate I=1f is further formed' on said diametri'cal line withan inner slot 23, with an outwardlyV projecting tab 24 extending fromthe: inner-edge of' the slot 23 and laterally offset tc provide with thesubjacent part ofthe face place If4', a pocket for seatingone end of aleaf spring 25, which is aligned with the length ofthe slot:v

23 andv projects outwardly therefrom, as toward the right: in Figure l.

The outer: end portion of the leaf' spring 25 is tensioned against theback or inner edge 26 of a straight bar 21' terminatingl in an outwardly2l directed hookl 28 arranged to engage over or be- Y bolts 33, 33traversing the same and terminating hind the keeper plate IIif'orlocking the door in closed position. The inner vend of the bar 21- hasgrooves or notches 29 and 30 in its inner and' outer edges,respectively, to make hinge engagementqwith the mentioned' slot edges.22 and 20, respectively, the notch 235 on the bar 2l being completed atone side by rounded shoulder 3F arranged to rockabl'y` engage theadjacent outer' or forward side of the inner plate I'I' near the slotedge 22 and retain the bar 21' normally in a position angulated towardthe-right, as shown in Figure 1, under the tens-ion of the spring 25.Ihe forward end of the bar 21 merges into a transversely curved handleportion 32 lying close to the face plate I4 but providing ample purchasefor lingersV inserted therebehind to draw the handle forwardly andtoward the right, and thereby pivot the bar 21 toward the left on theslot edges 22 and 20 and withdraw the hook 28 from the keeper plate I0to free the door to be opened.

The catch is secured to the door portion 6 by at their forward ends inflared heads 34 received in keyhole slots 35, 35 formed in the innerplate I1, whereby the face plate I4 conceals the bolt heads 34, thematerial of the inner plate I'I around the smaller ends 35' of thekeyhole slots 35, 35 being upset as indicated at 36 to accommodate thebolt heads.

In the form of the invention shown in Figure 5 a hinge pivot arrangementfor the catch lever or bar 21a is provided, which includes spaced ears3'! on the inner plate lla and a pivot 38 carried by the ears andtraversing the bar 2M near its forward end. Only one notch 29a isprovided in the bar 21a to engage the slot edge 22a of the inner plateI'Ia to limit the Swing of the bar 21a by the spring 25a. In addition, astraight handle 32a, aligned with the bar 21a is provided, which has aknob 40 on its forward end to be grasped in the hand in operating thecatch, by swinging the handle 32a toward the left in Figure 5 to releasethe catch.

What is claimed is:

1. A catch comprising a base adapted to be secured to a support, saidbase comprising a face plate having means for engaging the surface ofthe support to space the face plate therefrom, an inner plate positionedbetween said face plate and said surface and secured to said face plate,said face plate and said inner plate being formed with partiallyregistered slots, a catch lever eX- tending through said slots having ahandle pro jecting outwardly from said base, means on said base pivotingsaid lever thereon for retraction to a less angulated position from anangulated locking position, a stop on one side of said lever `forengaging the outer side of said inner plate in the locking position ofsaid lever, said inner plate being formed with a spring slot, a leaf.spring having one end supportedly inserted in said spring slot and itsopposite end bearing against the adjacent side of said lever andyieldably holding said lever in its locking position with said stopengaged with said inner plate.

2. A catch comprising a base adapted to be secured to a support, saidbase comprising a face plate having means for engaging the surface ofthe support to space the face plate therefrom, an inner plate positionedbetween said face plate and said surface and secured to said face plate,said face plate and said inner plate being formed with partiallyregistered slots, a catch lever eX- tending through said slots having ahandle projecting outwardly from said base, means on said base pivotingsaid lever thereon for retraction to a less angulated position from anangulated locking position, a stop on one side of said lever forengaging the outer side of said inner plate in the locking position ofsaid lever, said inner plate being formed with a spring slot, a leafspring having one end supportedly inserted in said spring slot and itsopposite vend bearing against the adjacent side of said lever andyieldably holding said lever in its locking position with said stopengaged with said inner plate,

said pivot means comprising an edge of the face plate slot, the side ofsaid lever opposite said .spring being formed with a, notch pivotallyengaging said face plate slot end.

3. A catch comprising a base adapted to be secured to a support, saidbase comprising a face plate having means for engaging the surface ofthe support to space the face plate therefrom, an inner plate positionedbetween said face plate and said surface and secured to said face plate,said face plate and said inner plate being formed with partiallyregistered slots, a catch lever extending through said slots having ahandle projecting outwardly from said base, means on said base pivotingsaid lever thereon for retraction to a less angulated position from anangulated locking position, a stop on one side of said lever forengaging the outer side of said inner plate in the locking position ofsaid lever, said inner plate being formed with a spring slot, a leafspring having one end supportedly inserted in said spring slot and itsopposite end bearing against the adjacent side of said lever andyieldably holdingsaid lever in the locking position with said stopengaged with said inner plate, said pivot means comprising transverselyspaced ears projecting inwardly from said inner plate, pivot meansjournalling said lever on and between said ears.`

4. A catch comprising a base comprising a face plate, an inner platesecured to one side of said face plate, said inner plate being formedwith a spring slot and a portion spaced away from said face plateforming a pocket, a leaf spring having one end thereof inserted in saidpocket and the other end extending away from said inner plate, said faceplate and said inner plate being formed with partially registered leveropenings with opposite sides of said lever openings providing spacededges, a lever positioned through said lever openings, means pivotingsaid lever on said base, the said other end of said spring being engagedwith the adjacent side of said lever at one side of said pivot meanswhereby the adjacent side of said lever at the opposite side of saidpivot means is normally engaged with the edge of the inner plate openingwith the lever angulated in locking position.

FRED JOHNSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in theY file ofthis patent:

FOREIGN vPATENTS Number

